It's Dangerous to Go Alone
by Saffron465
Summary: For many years, the Hero of Hyrule has taken his journey alone. So has Chiya, a talkative vai who dreams of a life outside of Gerudo town. But when fate brings the two together, they realize that their adventure has only just begun.
1. Chapter 1

I rushed forward on the back of my favorite horse Raven.

"Faster, Raven!" He neighed and went faster. The wind whipped my hair about my face as I raced to my destination. The large tree seemed to glow faintly as I came closer.

"Whoa, Raven. Stay here, okay buddy?" He bowed his head and I slid off the leather saddle. I adjusted my bow on my hip and began to climb. The tree wasn't as tall as it looked, but it was hard to climb. Just as I thought, two small bird's eggs were nestled in a tiny nest.

"Raven! Look what I found!" My companion Link thinks it's weird when I talk to my horses, but then again, he used to fight for some fancy princess. I jumped from the tree onto Raven's back and we set off again.

* * *

"Chiya, you were out for ages." Link tossed the final stick onto the fire and sat down on a nearby stone.

"Sorry. At least I found something half useful." I poured the contents of my satchel in front of him. He searched through the pile until he found a small gem.

"Where did you find topaz?" He was astounded as he turned it over in his hands.

"There was some ore close to the ground, so I blew it up." He gaped at me.

"I told you not to use the runes! Did you get hurt?" He put down the gem and looked at me.

"Link, I can handle myself around bombs." I finished tying Raven's rope to the tree we had camped by and sat down myself. I showed him the eggs I had found in the tree. He took them and put them in the pot with the mushrooms over the fire.

"I also found something that might be useful," I said. He put his head in his hands and groaned.

"What, you mean another trace of the legendary sword?" He snorted and looked up at the moon. "I'm done chasing after legends. It's never going to happen. I'm not the right person." I saw the anguish in his face and it pained me to see him like this.

"I'm going to bed. I was thinking of exploring the ruins near Lurelin village." He said while slowly standing up. I pushed both of our rocks over to the edge of a cliff and lay down near the fire.

"Wake me up before you go, okay?" I said, looking through the flames at him.

"Okay." And the second he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

I was awoken to a light flashing, and I saw Link crouched over his Sheikah Slate.

"What are you doing?" I said groggily.

"You should be sleeping. I told you I'm going to Lurelin village today."

"Too late. I'm already dressed and ready!" I grinned as I slung my bow over my shoulder. I held my hand out to him, but he didn't take it.

"You're not coming with me, Chu Chu! It's too dangerous." Classic Link. Always trying to be the hero and protect everyone. He even calls me his stupid nickname. As soon as the blue light enveloped him, I grabbed onto his shirt and we teleported together.


	2. Chapter 2

The humid air of Lurelin village greeted us as we teleported onto the shrine near the beach. He was too disoriented to notice me darting off, so I made sure he didn't see me. As I was running through the village, I crashed into a girl with long dark hair.

"Watch where you're going!" She said, bending over to pick up the hearty durians she had dropped.

"I'm so sorry! Here, I'll help you." I helped her gather the rest.

"Thanks. I'm bringing these to the lady working at the ruins. Do you want to walk with me?" She looked so hopeful, I couldn't resist.

"Sure!" It was nice to feel wanted, even if it was someone I've never met.

"I'm Lana." She picked up the last durian and put it into her basket.

"I'm Chiya. Nice to meet you!" I smiled, and we started walking.

* * *

The first few moments we walked in silence, but then she started asking me about my past.

"Do you have any family?" She looked me over quizzically.

"I wander around with my friend Link. He's really sweet, but he can be annoying at times." Of course, as soon as she heard the name Link her jaw dropped.

"Link, you mean THE Link? The great hero who died in the calamity 100 years ago?" This was the usual response when I told anyone about my brother.

"Yes, him. Except he almost died, and the Sheikah saved him. We found each other when he traveled to Gerudo Town." I looked at the durians I was carrying. "Now we look out for each other."

"Wow. Your story is so interesting! I just live with my little sister, Leila. She's such a bother." She stopped. "Looks like we're here!" She rushed forward to meet a fellow Hylian bending over a cracked black stone.

"Hello, miss! We brought you some fruit so you can stay here to work!" The lady's face morphed into a smile.

"Oh thank you dears! Bless your hearts! This kind young man is helping me out too. All these young people to help!" She clapped her hands. I looked past her only to see Link standing there with his hands on his hips.

"I'll deal with you later, Chiya." He turned to my friend. "Who are you?" His eyes sparkled and he dusted off his hands. "I'm Link. Nice to meet you." Lana just stared at him, the wind whipping her hair.

"Umm… uh…" She turned and sprinted away. He shrugged and turned to the lady.

"There's one more piece, correct?" She nodded and turned back to her work. He started to run off, leaving me there, but I followed him. When we were out of earshot, he turned to look at me.

"You can't do that anymore, Chiya. You were supposed to watch the camp. I did it yesterday. Also, sneaking away from me like that isn't okay. You can't take advantage of me like that!" He unfastened the device from his belt. "Take this to go home. Keep it with you, and whatever you do, don't lose it." He turned away from me and kept walking. I was red with anger, but I forced myself to calm down. I ran after him.

"You treat me like a baby. I'd like you to remember that I was doing perfectly fine on my own before you came to Gerudo town. I don't need you to tell me what to do, okay?" His face fell and I immediately felt bad.

"You're right, Chiya. I'm sorry. I shouldn't act like I'm in charge of you." He sat down on the sand. "I'm just so caught up in everything that I forget about reality." He put his head in his hands and sighed. I reached out my hand and hit him on the head gently with his Sheikah Slate.

"You still want me to go home?" I said, and I placed it on his lap. He got up and looked at me.

"No. I'll race you to find the missing piece, though!" He ran off, leaving me standing there. I began to search as well.


	3. Chapter 3

The second we got back to camp, I gathered everything and packed it tightly into my bag.

"What are you doing?" Link said, staring at the flint I had in my hand.

"I'm packing. Weren't we going to leave tonight?" I placed it gently into my bag.

"Okay, sure. But we need to plan where we should go." He grabbed his dagger and polished it with a palm leaf he had found in Lurelin village. I scanned the horizon, searching for something interesting.

"Can we camp near Hateno village? We can look at all the new houses." I smiled to myself, thinking of how it would feel to finally stay in one place. He rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Sure, Chu Chu. I'll wake you up early, okay?" He stared into my eyes. "And I will, for real this time."

"Okay." I said, smiling, and I quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The morning was bright and blue. Link held my hand as we teleported so that I wouldn't fall over when we landed. A nice breeze washed over us.

"Chu Chu, I saw a shrine nearby. I'm going to look for it, okay? Check out the houses or whatever you were talking about. I should be back by night."

"Alright. I'll set up camp over there." I pointed to an area by a field, a medium distance from Hateno village. "Be careful, okay?" He smiled and put one hand on his hip.

"Chiya, I'm always careful." He said, beaming, and raced off to find his shrine. I turned and walked in the opposite direction. A small child with brown braids ran past me, but stopped when she saw me.

"Hey miss, do you know the Bolson dance?" She smiled up at me.

"No, I don't believe I do." I grinned at her. She looked astounded.

"I'll teach it to you!" She waved her hands in the air, and shouted, "Ba ba bolson, Fu wa fu wa, SHAKEEEEN!" She giggled and fell back in the grass.

"Thanks, I'll try that sometime!" I kept walking, smiling to myself. I wondered if Link and I would ever get to feel that carefree spirit again.


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as evening fell, I wandered out into the field to set up the camp. Link hadn't shown up yet, but he probably was just in the forest collecting acorns. The fire glowed bright as the sky grew darker, but yet no sign of Link. Just as I was about to give up and go searching for him, I heard a shuffling. I strained my eyes, but sure enough, I saw Link staggering through the field. I gasped and ran over to him.

"Link! What happened? Are you all right?" I grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him a little. He groaned and leaned into me. "What's wrong?" I started shaking. I helped him over to the campsite, and I laid him down near the fire. I gasped again when I saw his shirt was covered in blood. "Link!"

"What," He moaned.

"What happened? You were supposed to be careful!" My voice cracked and I pulled his weapons off of him.

"A...Lynel...I tried..." He could barely manage to speak. I ripped a section of his shirt off and saw a long gash cut down his side.

"But you never get hurt!" I said, shocked.

"I don't know what happened." He said, and my greatest fear came true. He broke. He started sobbing and I held his head in my lap.

"It's okay." I searched through my bag in search of something to use as a bandage. I took my winter scarf and tightly wrapped it around him. A tear trickled down my cheek. I couldn't believe this was happening. I looked down at him, and he stared at me, forcing a smile.

"I'll be okay. I have to be." He stopped crying, coughed, and grabbed his own back, grimacing with the effort. I gently placed his head on the ground and took out our pot. In it, I put rice and water to make food for him. I couldn't hear much over the sounds of me cooking, but I could hear Link yelp. I took the pot off the heat.

"What?"

"Stal Lizalfos! Pass me my spear!" I grabbed his spear and my rusty sword and stood up.

"Where?" I searched the field.

"Behind you!" He screamed. I tossed him his spear and drew my sword.

"Come at me!" I shouted, and a large stal Lizalfos appeared from the darkness, holding a boomerang. I swung with my sword, knocking it's head off. I quickly raced over to where the head lay twitching and swung again, cracking the bone and making a loud clanging noise. The body fell over and I assumed it was dead. I whirled around only to see another one by Link. He was jabbing from the ground with his spear, but it wasn't doing much damage. I rushed over and in one quick swipe I killed it. I collapsed on the ground, panting. Link was doing the same.

"Are you okay?" I asked, kneeling down next to him.

"I'm…" And he passed out. I lay down beside him, holding his hand. How could this happen?

* * *

Link was sitting up against a rock when I woke up. I could tell he was regaining strength, but he needed better care than I could give him.

"Good morning." He said with a smirk.

"Hi. You seem chipper today." I groaned and stood up, stretching. "I'll go into town today and see if they have a doctor." I passed him the cold soup. "I made this last night. You should eat if you want to feel better." He laughed.

"Remind me to tell you to never be a doctor." I smiled, but I still couldn't shake off last night's events.

"Okay, I'm going." I ran into town. I walked through the buildings until I found the inn. I walked inside and went up to the counter.

"Excuse me, my friend was badly injured. Do you have anything that I can help him with, or a doctor?" I looked up, and saw I was talking to a young woman a little older than me.

"Oh no! Is it bad?" She looked worried.

"Um… Sort of. Do you have anything I can use for a bandage?" She thought for a moment.

"I believe so… yes! Come with me." I followed her into one of the rooms and she took out a white box. "Here's our bandages. You can take however many you need."

"Thank you so much! My friend will be very grateful!" She handed me the box.

"You're welcome! Now, if you don't mind, I need to get back to the counter. It was nice meeting you." She turned and walked away. I felt bad as I opened the box and took most of them, but Link needed them. I wondered what he would say when he saw it.

* * *

_12 Days later…_

"I'm fine now. I think we should leave. The blood moon is coming soon and there are still many things that I must do." Link said as he practiced his fencing on a tree. He swung and the tree was chopped clean in half. He quickly chopped it up into smaller pieces and bundled it neatly into a stack of wood. "Here." He passed it to me, and I put it into my bag. He stared out at the horizon. He was planning something, I could tell.

"Link, what are you thinking about?" I asked him.

"I'm just...I can't believe I let that Lynel get me. That hasn't happened since…" He trailed off, no doubt recalling a time when he was very young. He doesn't get hurt by monsters very often.

"Well, I think you're the greatest swordsman I know." He blushed.

"Chu Chu, I think I'm the only swordsman you know." I laughed.

"True." I said. "Do you want to go adventuring again? We can go where you want this time." I brushed my hair off my shoulder. His face grew serious.

"I think… I think it's time to talk to Impa." My heart jumped.

"You mean you're going to search for the sword?" I beamed. "We'll have so much fun! We can search everywhere and I'll help you and it'll be just like old times and…" I trailed off as I saw his expression change into sadness. "You're not going to let me come, are you?" I put my hands on my hips.

"Well, um…" He sighed. "I don't want you to get hurt." I scoff.

"Well, I don't want you to get hurt." I said. "Especially after that Lynel beat you. Who had to take care of you? Huh, it was me. Funny." I realized I shouldn't have said that. He glared at me.

"You know, I sort of prefer adventuring alone to being with you." I blushed.

"Link, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said-"

"You're right, you shouldn't have said that." His face was flushed. I stared deep into his blue eyes, searching for any hint of forgiveness. He softened. "We have to stop fighting. It's my fault. I'm just so uptight, I can't…"

"It's okay." I walked up to him and hugged him. "Let's go talk to Impa."


	5. Old Memories (Chapter 5)

_Flashback_

It was just another normal day in Gerudo Town. I was walking from store to store, browsing the items before I had to go to my mother's shop. Then I saw her. She was about my age, with short blonde hair and a beautiful blue and purple outfit. She had a veil covering her face, but I could tell she was a Hylian by the way she said Sa'vaaq. We don't get too many Hylians in our town, so I went to go say hello. But before I could, she grabbed bomb arrows off a stand.

"Stop, thief! Catch that vai!" Gramma Danda shouted. She was an elderly shopkeeper, so everyone called her Gramma. I set down the bag I was carrying and chased after the girl. She was easy to spot because of her blonde hair, so I followed her easily through the crowd. She began to climb the wall to get out of town, but I grabbed her arm. I was surrounded by villagers, so she couldn't harm me.

"Stop! You thief!" She dropped to the ground and pulled out a strange looking device. "Did you steal that too? Put it down." She looked at me and her eyes sparkled. She clicked some sort of button and all the villagers groaned, shook their heads, and walked away.

"Come on." She said, grabbing my arm.

"No! What did you do to them?"

"It's called a memory wipe. I need to get out of this town alive, okay? I have places to be." Her voice was deep, and I searched her face skeptically.

"Are you a-"

"Nope." She quickly climbed up the wall with me in tow until we reached the top.

"I'm going to call the guards! GUARDS! GUAR-" She clamped a hand over my mouth and pushed me onto the sand below. Then she grabbed my other hand and pressed another button on her strange device. Blue light enveloped us and my mind left my body for a split second. Suddenly we were standing outside of a weird hump shaped building with glowing blue swirls.

"What. Just. Happened? What did you do to me? Where did the desert go? What…" I whimpered, sinking to the floor. The girl slowly took off her veil, and I realized why her voice was so deep.

"No, I'm not a vai. Yes, I did sneak into your town. And to answer all your questions, I teleported you to the Sho Dantu shrine. My name is Link. And I need your help."


	6. Chapter 6

Impa greeted us at the door with,

"Ah, Link, you have found someone to venture with you." Link stepped forward.

"Yes, Lady Impa. Her name is-"

"Chiya. My name is Chiya." I stepped forward as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Impa." She smiled to herself and turned to Link.

"Back to the matter at hand. Why did you come here?" Her expression changed into seriousness.

"We came for your blessing to begin the trials of the legendary sword." Link gestured to me. "Chiya has decided to help me."

"So she has," Impa said, matter of factly. "Well Link, you know I have been waiting for this day to come. You know the path you must take will be hard, correct?" I looked up at her face and thought I saw tears in her eyes. I might have just imagined it, though. Link sighed, hesitating.

"I know it will be hard, but I know we can do it." He elbowed me. "Right Chiya?" Impa looked at him and smirked, which was a strange thing to see from an old lady.

"Yes, Link. I'm up for it." I looked Impa in the eye. "We better be leaving. Thank you." She nodded her head.

"Link, could you let Chiya and I talk for one moment please?" He seemed confused, but backed out the door, shutting it carefully behind him. Impa turned to me and glared.

"You must protect him at all costs. Those woods are very harmful, and his one weakness. We still need him to save Zelda and all of Hyrule. You can't lose him in those woods, or anyplace else. Do you hear me, child?"

"Excuse me?" I stared at her, appalled. "Do not call me a child."

"Do you know what happens in those woods, little girl? They trick your mind into seeing delusions of the person you love most. The delusions lead you deeper into the woods until you are enveloped in the fog and are never seen again." I gasped. Before she could say anything else, Link ducked inside.

"Can we go now, Chiya?" He was grinning and I could see he was itching for adventure. Impa smiled at me.

"Link, Chiya, you both must be brave and fierce. Protect each other and come back safe. Goodbye." And with that, Link grabbed my arm and whisked me out the door.

* * *

As we traveled along the road leaving Kakariko village behind, I pondered what Impa had said. What did she mean, protect him? He was the best swordsman in the history of Hyrule. He can protect himself. Also, what was his weakness? Who would I see to lead me into the fog? A chill crept up my spine. Maybe this wasn't the best thing to do right now. Link happily sprinted ahead of me, and I let my worries go for a minute.

"Come on, Chiya. You're so slow! Don't you want to get there?" He grinned. "Race you!" I smiled and chased after him, but soon my smile faded. I wondered if this was the last time we would be happy and carefree together.


	7. Chapter 7

As we walked along the path to the Lost Woods, I spotted a woman crying on the side of the road. "Link! Look! We should go help her!" I whispered, so I didn't scare her. He seemed wary, but finally agreed. We walked up to her. She stared up at us and wiped her eyes.

"Excuse me, miss, are you alright?" I said.

"Well, I'm just sad that I can't get any recruits." She sniffed and stood up.

"Recruits for what?" Link looked up at me skeptically, but I ignored him.

"You two look promising. Have you heard of the Yiga clan?" Link gasped and started to back away. I glanced at him, but continued talking.

"No, I haven't," I replied. Link drew his spear.

"Well, it is a wonderful cause. Young man, what are you doing?" Link glared at her. "Get away from us!" He growled. "How dare you look at me like that! You disrespect my master!" She pulled a spiky curved blade and crouched, looking just like a tiger ready to pounce. "I will take your life!" She screeched. I heard a bang, and she had transformed into a tall figure with a mask and red outfit. I stepped back and shouted to Link. He lunged and stabbed her with his spear. She swung at him, but he dodged and stabbed again. He kept on like this until she was dead. Her body evaporated, leaving behind money and bananas. I'm sure I had a disgusted look on my face, because Link grabbed my arm.

"Chiya, there are people all over that are good. But there are also the Yiga Clan. Those people are terrible, and will stop at nothing to end my life. You must be careful." He let go of me and continued walking. I followed him, leaving the items from the woman behind.

* * *

The road to the woods was long, but we covered it in a matter of days. We stopped when we came to a large expanse of trees and fog.

"We're here." Link looked me in the eyes. "Don't lose yourself."

"Same with you." I placed my hands in his. "We have to stay together." We walked to the entrance, hand in hand. A small plaque read,

Entrance to the Lost Woods

Creepy afforest

A fatal, delusion lose

after the lost woods

~the ancient one

Link lit a fire near it and grabbed his torch while I puzzled over the strange words.

"This will help us see each other. If one of us gets lost, we need a signal." He lifted his hands to his lips and whistled a short tune. I quickly memorized it and copied his motion, whistling the same tune. "Alright. Here we go." He stepped into the forest, and I followed him.

* * *

About ten minutes after we had started walking, I heard laughter. I turned around, and saw Link standing behind me. His voice was airy and light, beckoning me to come to him.

"Chiya, come on! I found a shrine. Let's go!" He smiled at me, and I smiled back.

"Aren't we supposed to find the sword?" I giggled, happiness surrounding me. I started to walk towards him, but I felt a cold hand latch onto my arm. I screamed and whirled around, only to find Link staring at me with fear in his eyes. All illusion of happiness faded and the other Link disappeared.

"Chiya! Did you see someone?" He looked terrified. "You can't let go of me." I suddenly realized that the other Link was a delusion.

"This is worse than I thought. It seemed so real," I shuddered. "I won't let go. I promise." He stopped abruptly.

"See those torches ahead?" He gestured to a small flickering flame. I nodded, still shaky. "If you get separated from me, look for the torches straight ahead. I'll be waiting. And if something happens to one of us… The other one leaves the forest right away, okay?" I nodded again, and we kept walking towards the torches.

* * *

Link could feel it before I could. The cold chill of untruth seeped through me long after Link squeezed my arm.

"Chiya, it's coming for me." He shuddered.

"Link, look at me." I pulled him toward me so he could look into my eyes. "I will not lose you. I won't let anything take you. I promise." He gasped and clenched his teeth. As we turned around, I saw a copy of me standing there with my hand on his shoulder. "Link, look at me!" I shouted. He started shaking and stared at me.

"I'm okay. It's fine. I know that you're real." He said, burying his face in my shoulder. The delusion reached out her hand and place it on his back. I could feel him wince. I swiped my hand towards her, and to my surprise, it went right through her face. She moved her hand and placed it onto his head. I knew she was creating another illusion of happiness because that was what the forest had done to me. I could feel him relax as he moved away from me and turned to the delusion. I grabbed his arm, whirled him around, and slapped him across his face. His eyes, which were cloudy before, immediately cleared into their normal clear blue self. He glanced at the delusion, then at me. I stepped towards him, still holding his arm, when he stopped me.

"How do I know that you're not fake?" He said, trembling.

"You don't. But sometimes you have to trust in order to succeed. That's something a friend once told me long ago. And Link, that friend was you." I took a deep breath. "We need to protect each other and trust one another in order to survive. Do you hear me?" I shouted over the wind. It was growing in speed, but plummeting in temperature.

"Chiya." He said, nervously. Both the delusion and I nodded. "I don't know which one is which. Please, someone, give me a sign. Please!" He put his hands on his head and looked completely lost. I sighed and remembered Impa's words. Before I could open my mouth, the delusion spoke.

"Oh Link, we both know that I'm real. Look at me. I'm much more beautiful than that… ugly delusion." Her voice sounded like bells, and the truth was, she actually did look much more beautiful than me. I knew I couldn't compete with her, and I started crying. I knew I would lose him. But I had to take one last chance.

"Do you want to know what Impa said? When she made you leave?" I said. I knew this was my last chance to convince him, so I chose my words carefully. He nodded slowly. "She said I had to protect you. And that if I lost you, she would kill me. Link, please stay with me. Please." The delusion started to grab his other arm, but suddenly Link yelled at her to stay back. He looked into my eyes.

"Are you sure it's you?" He held out his hand.

"Yes!" I cried. The delusion screamed and clawed his arm. He threw her back and ran to me. When he reached me, we hugged.

"I knew it was you! I knew it!" He shouted, crying. He spun me around until I was dizzy, and when he put me down, I saw that the delusion had gone. We were both a mess, and yet we still embraced.

"I thought I had lost you!" I could barely speak because of my tears. He just shook his head and smiled.


	8. Chapter 8

A loud, echoing voice blasted through the forest.

"You who have completed these trials, commence forth and claim your reward. Entrance to the Korok Forest!" Link glanced at me, beaming. The fog immediately cleared, leaving bright, full trees behind it.

"We made it!" I shouted, running forward. The grass was long and soft, swaying in the light breeze. We both ran until we reached the large sign announcing that we were now in the Korok forest. A long pebble pathway stretched out until it reached a stone triangle. Something gleamed like silver in the middle. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked up at Link. He had his eye trained on something, but it wasn't the pathway. I stopped and stared out towards the beautiful large tree that stood before us.

"Link, what's wrong?" I placed my hand on his chest, hoping he would tell me.

"I… I think I might remember something about this place…" He trailed off and began to walk carefully forward. He walked up to the sword, turned back to me, and gasped.

"Chiya! I remember! This sword… Princess Zelda told me I was Hyrule's final hope… and that the fate of Hyrule rests with me!" He looked up at the tree. "But I don't remember you…" He seemed ashamed. Suddenly the large tree groaned and glanced down at him.

"Who are you…Did I doze off again?" He shook his branches. "Hrm? Well well, it's you." Link seemed startled, but stayed calm. "You finally decided to return. Better late than never. After 100 years, I had finally given up hope on ever seeing you again. Even my patience has limits, you know. But I must ask you one question. Master Link. Do you remember me?" He shamefully shook his head. "I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as"

"The Deku Tree…" Link murmured, confused.

"Ah yes, so you have some recollection." Link shifted his attention to the sword. "That weapon was created by the ancient goddess. The sword that seals the darkness- that only the chosen knight can wield against the Calamity Ganon. Believe it or not, that was you who wielded it 100 years ago." Link nodded.

"Impa has filled me in on the major details. I am very sorry I don't remember you, Deku Tree."

"I must warn you to take extreme caution though, Master Link. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not… If you sought to free the sword in any weakened state, you would surely lose your life where you stand." Small creatures called Koroks climbed all over the tree and on the ground, acting out pulling a tree branch from the ground. "Best of luck young one…" The tree murmured, dozing off again. Link turned to me, fear in his eyes.

"Should I try?" I ran to him.

"I can't let you die!" I said, growing more and more scared by the second.

"Well, if I don't try, then how am I supposed to defeat Ganon?" He swallowed. "And save Zelda." I looked down and shuffled my feet in the grass, turning bright red. There he goes again with Zelda.

"Fine. Go ahead and pull the sword out. And if you die, I will remember that it was for the fate of Hyrule. But first, let me give you something." I pulled him towards me and kissed him on the cheek. I blushed and ran off the platform, watching as he glanced startled at me.

"You-"

"Just pull the sword." I cut him off quickly. I can't let him know. He gripped the sword, and the Deku Tree awoke again. He started to pull. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and I could tell it wasn't easy. The Koroks cheered. I grew dizzy with fright as the sword budged a little.

"You're almost there!" The Deku Tree roared in astonishment. Link gasped in pain as the sword budged a second time. Only the very tip was left buried in the stone. One more pull and he would be done. I bit my lip as he prepared himself for the final pull. He braced his legs, adjusted his grip, and yanked out the sword. He fell backward, but got back up, holding the sword high above his head. He was beaming, and I ran up and hugged him. Suddenly the ground shook. Link fell from the weight of his sword and stayed on the ground so he wouldn't get hurt. I knelt next to him.

"What's happening?" I cried over the noise. Koroks were screaming and running everywhere.

"Ganon has sensed that the sword has been removed. He's probably sending monsters over this very minute!" He stood up and shouted to all the townspeople. "Everyone! Get somewhere safe! Chiya and I must leave, but prepare for an attack!" He reached up a hand to the Deku Tree. "Thank you for everything, Deku Tree. I must go. But please, keep this forest alive." The Great Deku Tree placed a small branch in his hand. He pulled out his Sheikah Slate to teleport away, but the large tree stopped him.

"There is a shrine to the left. Go there first. Then you can come to help us if I fail." Link nodded and bolted to the shrine. He activated it, grabbed my hand, and we teleported away. Once we reached our destination at the Central Tower, He turned to me with determination in his eyes.

"Chiya, we must go to Hyrule Castle. The final battle has begun."

* * *

**A/N: Hi! I just wanted to say that the Deku Tree's words were not from me, but instead from a real cutscene in the game. Please note that I didn't write it so I shouldn't get credit for it. I hope you are all enjoying my story and please leave a review if you like it! Thanks!**


	9. Chapter 9

Before he could paraglide off the tower, I grabbed his shirt.

"Wait. We need help. We can't do this alone." I said, glancing out at the guardians surrounding the tower.

"Chu Chu, I've lived my life forever alone until you showed up. I can handle myself." He put his hands on his hips and made an expression so proud that I laughed. "Anyway," He said, growing serious again. "Who would we even ask?" I grinned.

"Prince Sidon."

* * *

We found Prince Sidon on the second layer of Zora's Domain. He was pacing the wet floor, clearly annoyed about something. His face brightened when he saw me running towards him.

"Chiya!" He shouted. Link was clearly not happy about this. He had his arms crossed around his chest and was muttering something to himself about me being stupid. But I didn't care. Prince Sidon had been like a brother to me ever since Link showed me around Zora's Domain. He had found us wandering about on the bridge surrounded by lizalfos, and he helped us out. Prince Sidon spun me around and I giggled. Link came up beside us, scowling.

"Ahem." He cleared his throat. "Prince Sidon, Chiya would like to request your help in defeating Calamity Ganon." Sidon looked surprised, but nodded.

"Of course." He looked at me. "You requested my help?" He said beaming. I nodded, grinning.

"Only if you're up for it, though…" I said. Link turned and gazed out at the water, continuing his thoughts about how stupid I was for making him come here. Sidon leaned over to me and whispered,

"Somebody's jealous." I laughed and blushed.

"No, he's not. He's just upset I made him come here and ask for help." Sidon raised his eyebrows and tapped his foot on the ground.

"We better get going, Linkie. We don't have all day!" He grinned and started walking. Link pulled out his Sheikah Slate.

"One, don't call me Linkie. And two, we're going by way of this." Sidon turned around and walked back over to us.

"Okay, Linkie-"

"We better do what he says. He gets scary when he's mad." Both Sidon and I doubled over in laughter. Link immediately whipped around and glared. He grabbed onto me roughly and I grabbed onto Sidon. Link pressed a button on his device and we teleported to the central tower again.

* * *

Prince Sidon almost fell off the edge of the tower when we landed because he was disoriented. Link laughed at him.

"Not so stoic now, huh buddy boy?" Link pulled out his paraglider, smirking. Sidon glared and moved away from the edge. "This paraglider is only for two people. Maybe-"

"Teleport Chiya and I somewhere with water near the castle. Then I can swim with her on my back." Link didn't look too happy about being interrupted and by leaving me alone.

"That's a good plan! Then we can meet you inside the castle!" I said, thinking aloud. Sidon nodded.

"I really don't like leaving you alone…" He looked down.

"I really don't like leaving you alone!" I said. "But if this plan works, it would be almost effortless to defeat Ganon! We have to do this." He sighed.

"Alright, I guess…"

"Yes!" Sidon shouted happily. I smiled at his carefree nature. Link pressed a button on his Sheikah Slate, and we all teleported to Noya Neha shrine.

* * *

Link gestured to the river.

"Follow this river until you get to the castle. Dodge any guardians you see and carefully enter the docks. I'll be waiting there if everything goes well. I'll see you soon." He placed his hand in mine. "Be careful." His trusting eyes bored into mine.

"Okay, you too," I said.

"See you!" I said. I watched his form turn to blue light and slowly disappear. _What if this is the last time I see him? _I wondered.


	10. Chapter 10

Sidon and I glided along the river chatting until we spotted Hyrule Castle.

"All my life, I never thought I'd be doing this." I shook my head. "So much has changed since Gerudo Town." We neared the castle, coming up along the side.

"There's the entrance to the docks. If we be silent, we can sneak right in there," Sidon said thoughtfully. Suddenly a bright red spot appeared on Sidon's back.

"Umm, Sidon, what's that…" I followed the line of red until I traced it to a guardian sitting on the hill near the docks. "Sidon! There's a guardian!" I shouted. He dove under the water, swimming in sharp zig zags. The lazer was still trained on him, but now flashing. "Hurry! Go really fast… Now!" He had a burst of speed, and the guardian blasted the water where we had just been. I breathed a sigh of relief, but the lazer was back on him again. He slipped into the docks entrance and we hid behind the wall.

* * *

We found Link standing next to a large shrine with his Sheikah Slate. He looked up when we came closer, dripping wet.

"Took you two long enough." He said, grinning.

"Link!" I shouted, running up to him and hugged him.

"Stop it! You're gonna get me all wet!" He said, laughing. Prince Sidon stood off to the side, watching us while smiling. "I was looking for an entrance into the castle from here, but I can't seem to find one." Link said over my head to Sidon.

"I'll find it!" He said, and ran off to search.

* * *

It had been about half an hour since we arrived at the docks, and we still hadn't found the entrance.

"Uggh!" Link shouted, exasperated. Sidon was drawing something in the dirt with his finger. He got bored and stood up, walking over to lean on a bookshelf opposite from Link.

"What are we going to do?" Sidon said, when suddenly the shelf he was leaning on shifted backwards. He jumped forward and squealed. I laughed.

"Sidon, looks like you found the enterance!" I said, running forward and shoving the shelf over. We emerged into a large room with cracked tile floors and dirty walls covered in malice goo.

"What is this place?" Link wondered aloud.

"It's the library." Sidon said. He held up a tattered tapestry with "Library" written on it. We both laughed at him.

"We should probably walk up those stairs," I said, gesturing to the crumbling staircase. I ran up them and crossed the walkway until I was at the entrance to the hallway. Prince Sidon and Link were close behind me as I heard scuttling. I stepped into the hall, curious, when I was met face to face with a bokoblin. I immediately pulled out my Gerudo Schmitar and stabbed it, and its body fell to the ground. Sidon breathed a sigh of relief. Link scoffed.

"Chiya's a good fighter. You didn't know that, oh beautiful prince Siiiidon?" He said, batting his eyelashes and clasping his hands near his cheek. Sidon punched him lightly and walked away.

* * *

We eventually made it to the corridor after the guard's chamber. Link gasped.

"I know this place!" He stepped forward, running his hand along the wall fondly. "I remember." He walked towards a beautifully carved door. "This is…" He trailed off, entering the door and shutting it behind him in a daze.

"Link!" I shouted, running after him. "Sidon, wait out here. I'll get him." I flung open the door, and to my shock, three electric lizalfos were surrounding him. I ran forward with my weapon drawn, when Link stabbed one. It died with a burst of an electric shock, forcing Link to drop the master sword and cower on the ground. The others took this as a chance, so they grabbed him. One kept him pinned down while the other turned to kill me. I rushed forward and killed it, kneeling on the ground because of the shock as well. I heard Link scream in pain as the lizalfos dragged it's sharp fingernail across his face, down his eye. I rushed forward, yelling as I drove my Schmitar into its back. Sidon entered the room, smiling, when he saw us with carnage all around us. His smile was wiped away replaced with a grimace. Link stood up, blood running down his face.

"I'm okay," He said, breathing heavily. His wrists and ankles were rubbed red from the lizalfos's coarse skin. He grabbed his weapon and looked around the room.

"Why did you go in here by yourself? You could have gotten Chiya and you killed." Sidon said, accusingly.

"This is...Zelda's room…" He said, wondrously. "We studied in here together." He scratched his head. "I can't remember anything about her, though…" He looked disappointed.

"It's okay, you'll remember later. Just don't wander off, okay?" I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He looked at me quizzically, and I wasn't sure he would follow my instruction.

* * *

We continued on until we reached the entrance to the Sanctum. Sidon had accidentally brushed his hand on some malice goo and was now producing a steady stream of curses.

"Would you shut it?" Link yelled. The blood that covered half of his face was now dried from the hot sun, and he looked terrifying. Sidon immediately stopped. Dark red and black swirls were surrounding the Sanctum.

"This is it." I murmured, grabbing Link's hand. He drew his sword and stepped inside.


	11. Chapter 11

I surveyed the room, noticing a girl chained to the wall. I gasped. _Could it really be Zelda?_ I thought. Link must have seen her too, because he stepped forward without thought. Immediately a deafening roar sounded, and a giant spider-like creature with a human-like head. A wild, maroon mane erupted from the head.

"So, Link. You have decided to challenge me again. Well, this time you will fail." Ganon roared. Link drew his sword.

"I fight for Hyrule, and for the fate of my friends and I. I don't think we will fail," He said with a smirk. Ganon laughed, causing bits of the ceiling to crumble. In what seemed like a blur, the battle began. It almost looked like a dance, with Ganon launching attacks and all of us dodging and launching his own. Every few minutes, large laser beams were shot into Ganon from the four divine beasts. He would cry out and we all rushed in to attack. But it wasn't enough. Even Zelda tried to help, but it didn't work. This battle was going downhill fast, and I didn't know how to stop it.

* * *

Apparently, Link did.

"Come and get me!" He shouted. Ganon rushed forward, ready with a fire attack when Sidon and I came from behind. We stabbed him from the back, and the lasers shot again. He was almost done for. He collapsed on the ground, stunned from the shock. Link raised his sword high above his head. His face was a mixture of fear and determination, and he looked me in the eye. A tear rolled down his cheek as he yelled out,

"FOR HYRULE!" And swung his sword down on Ganon's head. Ganon roared again. I gasped, foreseeing what was about to happen. Ganon reared his arm back in his last act of reveng. He surged forward, and it seemed like slow motion as Ganon flung his sword towards Link. Link closed his eyes, knowing it too. I screamed as it struck Link right in his heart. He fell to the ground, and both of them were dead. I wept and stood there, frozen. Sidon went to free Zelda, and the four champions ran into the room. I couldn't believe what had happened. A cold shard of ice surged through me. _What would I do now that the only person I loved was gone?_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry guys! This is a bit of a longer chapter than most of the others... Anyways, I hope you all enjoy and please leave reviews of what you think! Thanks! Have a good one!**

All around us, malice goo on the castle walls began to disappear. Mipha, Daruk, Revali, and Urbosa stood around Link's body in a tight protective circle. Zelda rose from the place where she had been held captive and carefully stepped over to him. I stared in horror at the still form in front of me, and Prince Sidon placed his hand on my shoulder. He was crying too. The four champions moved away from Link as Zelda came closer, tears in her eyes. She knelt down beside him.

"Link!" I screamed. "Get away from him!" Sidon tried to keep me still, but I wrenched free from his grasp, running over to Link. I cried for him. I cried for me. I cried for what could have been. Zelda placed her hand on his wound. I stared up at her.

"What have you done?" I said through clenched teeth. "You killed him! He came all this way just to save you and Hyrule, and this is how you repay him? Don't touch him!" I shouted at her through a steady stream of tears. She looked at me quizzically.

"I'm helping him. Mipha, come here." Mipha stepped forward and knelt down as well.

"What should I do, princess?" Zelda moved her now bloody hand and Mipha placed hers. She began to glow slightly, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The wound was starting to disappear. I sat and stared at the strange sight. I felt useless, so I rubbed his cold, lifeless hand. Zelda now placed her hand onto his chest and began to speak.

_Oh goddess Hylia_

_Bring back this life that was lost to us_

_We will cherish and protect it_

_Please save this soul_

_Bring forth the light from within_

Link faintly began to glow and I gasped. His eyes burst open and he took a large, shaky breath.

"Zelda?" He murmured slowly. She cradled his head.

"I'm here, Link." He started to get up, but she stopped him. "Stay there."

"I'm fine." He groaned as he stood up. He just stayed there, looking at her. "I've missed you." He said, unsure of himself. Without saying anything, she stepped towards him and placed her hand on his forehead. They both closed their eyes in concentration. I didn't know what they were doing, so I turned to Mipha.

"Thank you for healing him," I said. She blushed.

"Oh, it was nothing." I could tell that she cared about him from the affection in her eyes. Sidon rushed forward, his hand over his bruised eye.

"Chiya! Don't bother princess Zelda, okay?" His voice hitched when he saw Mipha standing next to me. "Umm…" He said, looking at his feet. She burst into tears.

"Sidon! I missed you so much!" She said, running towards him and hugging him. Sidon started crying as well, something I never thought I would see.

"I'm so sorry... I abandoned you that day in the divine beast… I thought you were dead!" He wept into her shoulder.

"It's okay! I'm just so happy to be back." She patted his head. "I can't believe how old you've gotten! You're older than me now!" Sidon stepped away and rubbed his eyes, sniffing.

"That's creepy, sis. You'll always be older than me." I've never seen Sidon act this childlike. It was beautiful seeing the two together again. I smiled and walked away. Zelda finally stepped away from Link and was crying also. Link still had his eyes closed, but was now sitting on the floor. I walked over to her.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to be nice. I felt a little bad for being so mean to her, before.

"I was just giving Link back his memories… It just shook me up a little, seeing them all play back in my mind." She wiped her eyes. "But I'm all right now. And he just needs some time to process everything." I cleared my throat and knelt down by Link, gently shaking him.

"Link?" His eyes fluttered open, revealing bright blue irises. I swallowed, hoping he wouldn't notice my blushing. "Are you okay?" I said gently.

"I'm… okay," He said, sounding very unsure. "Chiya, I know you don't like Zelda very much, but can you give her a chance? Please? For me?" I sighed.

"Okay. Fine. But can we please leave this castle? It's giving me the creeps." I shivered.

"Are you cold?" He immediately began searching through his bag. He pulled out his warm doublet. "It'll be big on you, but It'll keep you warm." He passed it to me, and even though I wasn't cold, I took it. He stood up. "Thank you, everyone. I couldn't have done this without all of you." As I looked around the room, I noticed Revali nodding, Daruk slapping Sidon on the back, and Mipha hugging Sidon. Link looked very uncomfortable speaking in front of all these people, and it made me laugh. Link glared at me, but then his expression softened into laughter as well. I could hear then Zelda's laughing, sounding like bells soaring over the room. Then everyone started laughing. Sidon stepped forward.

"Let's get out of this mess!" He shouted, and the crowd cheered.

* * *

Hyrule field was warm and bright, and insects buzzed all around us. The champions and Sidon all played tag like little children, Daruk rolling about in the grass. Zelda sat quietly writing something by herself, graciously giving me and Link time alone. We both laid on the grass, staring up at the clouds.

"I'm sorry I put you through all this, Chiya. I never should have taken you from Gerudo Town." He sighed.

"No, Link. You should have! How else would I have met you? Then we wouldn't be friends!" _Or more than friends,_ I thought. "Anyway, let's talk about something else. I want to know something about you."

"What?" He said, surprised.

"Your past." I heard him take a sharp breath in. I knew he wouldn't tell me, but I kept going. "Now that you remember everything, I want to know what your life was like." He sighed, preparing to tell a long story.

"Well, I lived in a small wooden house on a big patch of farmland. I used to be a farmer, did you know that?" He laughed softly to himself. "My parents lived there too, with my little sister, Aryll. Well, my mother died when I was three. My father was the one who taught me and Aryll. We couldn't afford to go to any school, so we stayed home, minding the farm. It was a simple life, but everything changed when I met Zelda." He closed his eyes, reminiscing. "She was dirty and bedraggled when she ran to me. She had escaped from the castle because her mother was forcing her to learn how to use the Sheikah slate. She mistook our farm for the village, so she ran into me when I was taking the food to the pigs. You can imagine how that went." He laughed again, and this time I did too. "Anyways, my dad brought her back to the castle with some of my scones, and-"

"Since when did you bake scones?" I laughed.

"Since forever! I'm really great at baking!" He smirked. "Back to the story. My dad brought her back, and since then, we were close with the royal family." His face turned somber. "Then one day when I was seven, my father went with Zelda's father on a mission, bringing Aryll and Zelda. Those girls were close, friends since the day Zelda and I met. The mission was to start a town on a small island. They were going to name it Tarrey Town." His voice hitched and he stopped talking. He took a deep breath and started again. "Zelda's father came back with Zelda and a dagger in his chest. He told me my father and sister had been killed by monsters. They had been attacked when they were discussing plans with the architect. He barely made it out with his life, let alone Zelda. I turned to stone that day. I didn't have feelings anymore, no joy, no sadness. I knew it was hard on Zelda to see me like that, but I didn't care. I was numb. The next day I went to the island. Everything was gone, except for one thing. Aryll's hair ribbon. It was caught on a root of a chopped down tree. I still have it." He showed me his bruised wrist, and there it was. A light pink ribbon tied tightly around his upper arm.

"That's horrible! I'm so sorry," I said, trying to comfort him.

"You would have loved her. She was the sweetest thing, always trying to help. Zelda's father let me stay with them at the castle. He knew I had some sword skills from fighting off the monsters from our farm, so he forced me into knight training. I was younger than all the kids, so they laughed at me and beat me up. That's where I learned how to be tough." He gazed at the sky. "I graduated at ten, with my peers at fourteen. Then Zelda appointed me as her knight. I protected her from day one." From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a tear. But when I turned to look, there was nothing.

"Sorry to disturb you two, but can I ask Link something?" Zelda said behind us. We both turned to her, startled. "Sorry, did I startle you?" She said.

"Sort of. I'll only be a minute, Chiya." He said, walking away with her. _What could they be talking about?_ I wondered. I lay back on the grass, my hair splayed out around my head. Sidon laid down next to me.

"The sky always reminds me of the ocean." He said, closing his eyes. "Big, blue vast emptiness. Free for exploring." He sighs. "I haven't felt this at peace since I was young and living with Mipha. I guess all the prince duties got to me."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened when you 'abandoned' Mipha?" I swallowed. _Am I stupid? Why did I ask that? _To my surprise, he answered.

"It was the day back then when the calamity started. Mipha invited me to spend the day with her in the divine beast. She said she would teach me how to run it." He took a deep breath. "When Ganon took control, I got scared. I was really little. She told me to stay and help her. But I didn't." He turned his head to me. "I ran. I jumped off into the water and swam back to Zora. That's why my father has always been piling the work onto me. He blames me for her death." He sighed. "And that's why I blame myself. If I had just stayed and helped-"

"It probably wouldn't have made a difference. Except for you being dead too. And then we couldn't have been friends. You were so young, how could you have helped?" His eyes glistened with tears.

"We would've been together, just like we always were. She would've spent her last moments with me. And that's all I wanted… For her to be proud of me." I grabbed his hand.

"But she's back! You get a second chance. Take it!" I said. I stood up, stretching my back. Sidon smiled at me.

"Thanks, Chiya. You really helped."

"Anytime." I started to braid my hair into the signature Gerudo way when Link came walking back, his face pale. "What's up with you?" I said.

"Nothing." He shook his head, smiled, and sat on the ground next to me, putting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. He took a deep inhale. "I love this smell. The warm summer air mixed with flowers and grass." He flung himself back into the grass and rolled around. I stifled a laugh.

"You look so stupid. Stop it!" I said, still laughing.

"Come join me!" He yelled, pulling me into the grass. I screamed, laughing. But then, as we laid in the grass together, he looked into my eyes. Something happened inside me, sort of like a pinprick, changing into a deafening explosion. I couldn't quite place it, no word could describe it.

"Chiya…" He said, trailing off. I just stared at him. But then I placed it. It was love. I gasped and he looked at me, startled.

"What did Zelda tell you?" I said, distracting him. His face turned ashen and pale again.

"Nothing." He looked away from me. _Leave it to me to ruin any chance I had with him._ I thought.

"Please tell me!" I pleaded, putting my hand on his head and turning his face back to me.

"She said...I don't want to talk about it." He said. I groaned.

"You can't hide everything from me, you know," I said, trying to sound authoritative. He snorted.

"Oh yeah, I can. I'm the best liar ever." This time I snorted.

"Really? Tell me a lie right now."

"That's not the same-"

"Nope." I interrupted him. "No excuses."

"Okay...I ate b-breakfast this morning." He scoffed at himself.

"I didn't know you stutter when you lie!" I laughed at him. He smiled and closed his eyes, brushing his hand across the soft grass.

"What's this?" He asked, and pulled a silent princess flower out of the ground. He rolled closer to me and put it in my hair. I smiled and I felt the love feeling again. This was crazy. Just then, Zelda walked up to me.

"Oh, excuse me, Chiya, I drew a picture of you!" She smiled kindly, and I took her notebook she held out. On the inside, I saw a picture of me. It looked almost like a photo, capturing all the shadows and light parts of my face.

"Thanks, Zelda! This is beautiful." Link sat up.

"Can I see?" He said. I showed him the notebook. He just looked up in awe at Zelda. "I didn't know you were an artist!" I gave Zelda her book back and walked over to the champions, feeling defeated. I couldn't even compare to her. She was too perfect.

"So what do we do now?" I asked Mipha. She and Daruk were really only the two champions I ever talked to. I was too scared to talk to Urbosa because everyone in Gerudo town talked about her like she was a legend. Revali was just, well, Revali.

"Well, the monsters won't go away unless we kill them all." She said, solemnly looking out at the horizon. Man, she could be creepy sometimes.

"That's violent," I muttered, turning to Daruk. "What do we do now, Daruk?" He looked at me happily and shouted,

"Break all the rocks!" He began rolling around again, chasing after Revali who was circling midair. I laughed and walked back to Link. He and Zelda were arguing about something. I listened as I walked up to them.

"She can't come with us! She'll just slow us down!" Zelda said, glaring.

"Of course she can! She's one of the best fighters I know. Better than you, even." He snorted and stood up. Zelda shook her head.

"I can't believe you. How are we supposed to be normal again now that she's here? We can never be the same. If you want me back, you'll have to get rid of her first." Zelda looked up and saw me walking towards them. She blushed and turned away from him, walking the opposite way back to her spot under the tree. Link let out a loud groan and fell back into the grass again.

"What do you mean, her?" I said, accusingly. He sighed.

"I'm not getting rid of you, okay?" His eyes sparkled. "I'm never getting rid of you."


	13. Chapter 13

A girl about my age flung Impa's door open for us.

"Excuse me, m-master Link," She muttered, her head down. "My name is p-p-p…" She sighed. Link smiled.

"You must be Paya. Impa has told me about you." I smiled at his compassion. She stepped to the side to let us through, beaming.

"Link!" Impa greeted us. She was smiling. "Thank you for everything." She wrapped her small wrinkled arms around him and he looked uncomfortable as she hugged him. She finally let go. You all should stay in Kakariko village for the night. Get yourselves set up at the inn and then come talk to me again." We said thank you and walked back to the inn.

* * *

Link stopped me before I entered the inn.

"What?" I said, annoyed.

"You know that I wouldn't ever get rid of you, right?" He said, worried.

"Of course. I didn't know Zelda hated me so much." I saw her silhouette through the window. Link sighed and let me go.

* * *

"Chiya, do you mind going upstairs? I have to tell Link something. I'll talk with you separately." Impa said as we stepped inside. I nodded and walked up the stairs. I entered a small room with simple red curtains and a bed. There was a window opposite a dresser with flowers and a book on it. I walked over to the dresser and picked up the book. On the cover, it said in delicate handwritten letters,

Paya's Diary

(Please do not look)

I snorted and peeked inside at a random page that looked like it was from today. Inside, everything was written in the same fancy handwriting.

"I met master Link today. Hw is so gallant… the very picture of a hero I always imagined. His blond sideburns flow like a golden waterfall over his dignified, pointy ears. And the way his hair is so perfectly parted to the side, wow! I don't know why, but my heart won't stop beating a mile a minute…"

I sucked in a breath and turned the page.

"I must admit that I'm still not great at interacting with young men. But I think I am finally able to speak to Master Link while looking him in the eyes! Those wonderful eyes… Naturally, I still get a little embarrassed… but I can't help it! I always follow his gorgeous gaze with my own. I blame his beautiful eyes. Ugh. This is all so strange."

Her feelings came far faster than mine. She only met him today and noticed these things. She was very good at placing her feelings. But I guess when I had first met him, I noticed how handsome his hair and eyes were. I kept reading, still curious.

"I wonder if Master Link is in love with Princess Zelda… If so, I think they suit each other quite splendidly. If they become a couple, I'd give that my full support. Though just the thought of that makes my heart hurt… I wonder if I'm coming down with something. I'll ask Grandmother for some medicine tomorrow."

I turned the page again, pondering how she could possibly be so sweet.

"I spoke to Grandmother about what's been weighing on my mind lately. For the first time… my heart knows what it means to love. Though it may be a love that is never shared or returned, just having it for myself is a gift enough. Seeing him brings me great joy… I bet he has that effect on everyone. I have only gratitude towards him for showing me what it's like to feel this way about someone…"

I was in awe at how thoughtful she was. I realized that this was exactly how I felt about Link too, she was just better at putting it into words than me. I was just about to set the book back down on the dresser when I saw something move in the doorway. My heart jumped as I saw Paya enter.

"I can't believe you would read that. I thought you were nice." Her face was as red as a beet and I felt all the blood rush to my feet.

"I'm so sorry… I was just curious and looked…" I trailed off, shuffling my feet on the wooden floor. Suddenly she grabbed my arm, digging her fingernails into it.

"You'd better not tell him, okay? If you do, I don't know what I'd do…" I nodded my head and she huffed.

"Grandmother wanted you to come downstairs. Master Link..." She blushed when she said his name. "Is finished talking with her." I nodded again and brushed past her back downstairs.

* * *

"I wanted to thank you, Chiya. I underestimated you." She lowered her head.

"You're welcome. I don't appreciate you threatening me, though." I put my hands on my hips.

"I don't know why I sunk to that level. You and I will never be friends, but I shouldn't have threatened you. I'm sorry." She said simply.

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I've had a long day and would like to catch up with Link."

"One moment. Link told me about how he died." She breathed out. "And Zelda saved him. Those two are meant for each other. Please don't get in the way." I huffed and stormed out the door. As I rushed out the door, one of the guards stopped me.

"Hey miss, have you seen Master Link and Princess Zelda? Don't they look so sweet together?" I shoved him out of the way and sprinted to the inn, leaving him yelling at me. Tears rolled down my cheeks. How could I stand a chance? She was so perfect. He could never love me.


	14. Chapter 14

The next morning we all decided we should visit Zora's domain to drop off Sidon and Mipha. They wanted to talk with their father, and they have delicious fish that Daruk was interested in. The rain had stopped and our steps echoed on the hard polished marble floor. Prince Sidon tentatively stepped inside King Dorephan's chamber.

"Um, excuse me, father…"

"NO! How could you leave me like this? In our greatest time of need with Ganon rising to full power-" He bellowed angrily at Sidon until Mipha stepped inside. Sidon piped up.

"Father, Mipha is alive. And calamity Ganon has ended. Master Link has killed him." King Dorephan began crying.

"Son, you have disobeyed our kingdom by feeding me lies and delusions. How could you do this to me? You are going to your chambers and staying there for three days with no food or water." Sidon began to protest until Zelda stepped inside. He started to believe us. Link and I left them to explain everything.

"Chu Chu! I have the perfect spot to show you!" He ran to the backside of the King's chambers and gestured to the wall. He started climbing, using the intricate designs as handholds and footholds.

"Oh my goodness. You can't possibly-" I started to talk but he interrupted me.

"Yes I can. I'll throw you something when I get to the top." I snorted. By the time the rope came down, I had already cleared the top. He gazed up at me in astonishment as he reached the top as well.

"Looks like I'm a better climber, Link." I laughed and he scowled, but his face melted into a grin when he stepped forward. I turned around and found that we were standing at the very top of Zora's Domain, on the large fish statue overlooking the city. The sun was setting and orangish light glinted off the oceans surrounding us. It took my breath away. "Link, this is beautiful!" I sat with my legs dangling off the edge.

"I'm glad you like it!" He said, sitting next to me. "I thought that we haven't had time to relax in a while because of Ganon, so…"

"Shh." I said, putting my finger to his lips. A faint melody of some sort blew to us on the warm summer breeze. I smiled and he did too. "Thank you. It's just what I needed." I moved my hand and put mine in his. I looked into his eyes, and I thought I saw a glimmer of something, that something I had seen in myself before. He leaned forward and before I knew what was happening, he kissed me. The warm salty air enveloped us, and there was no calamity, no monsters, just him and me. He slid his hand around my back and pulled me closer, tingles running up and down my arms. Something exploded in my heart, and I knew then that this was what I wanted. I was in love with Link for real, and I didn't want this to end. But then he broke apart from me, his face ashamed.

"Chiya, I'm so so sorry, I didn't mean-" His eyes glistened. "I love you, Chiya."

* * *

I put my hands on Link's chest.

"I think I'm in love with you too, Link. Don't be ashamed." I smiled at him. Link reached down and he pulled something out of his pocket. It was shaped like a teardrop.

"I forgot to give you this on Hyrule Field. It's an ocarina." It was beautiful, a strange shade of blue that glinted silver when the light hit it. "You blow into it like this," He blew into it and put his fingers on the holes. A clear note rang out.

"Okay, looks easy enough," I took it from him and blew as hard as I could. A loud bellowing _squonk_ erupted from the small instrument. "Maybe not… But thank you so much! I'll definitely practice!" I smiled and put it in my pocket. Suddenly I thought of something. "I didn't know we were supposed to have gifts!" I cried, and put my head in my hands. He shook his head.

"No way. I'm so disappointed in you, Chu chu." He contorted his face into mock disappointment. I fished around in my other pocket for something. I pulled out a small dried flower.

"Wait! I do have something! It's not much, but…" I took the flower and put it in his hands. "Do you remember this?" I asked him. "It's the same one you gave me in Hyrule field." He didn't say anything, just looked at the flower in his hands. I gazed out at the horizon, thinking about how right this felt.

* * *

I landed on the ground with a soft thud, Link in my arms. He had fallen asleep, and I took the liberty of carrying him down. My arms were burning, and I spotted Daruk.

"Daruk! Could you help…" I almost dropped Link, but Daruk scooped him up. "Thank you!" I said, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

"Anything for the hero of Hyrule." He winked and took him over to the inn. Link looked so peaceful when he was asleep. I suddenly felt a cold hand on my shoulder that pulled me away, behind another wall.

"Chiya." Her voice hissed, ice cold. "What did he tell you up there?" I turned, flicking off the hand. Zelda's cold eyes pressed into mine.

"He told me about nunya." She looked very confused.

"Who is this nunya?"

"Nunya buisness." I laughed and she scowled.

"This is serious, what did he tell you?"

"Nothing you need to know," And with that, I walked away, leaving her bright red.

* * *

"Really, Link, please tell me what Zelda said to you that day on Hyrule Field!" I said, trying to keep up with his fast pace.

"No! It's not for you to know." He shrugged my hand off of his shoulder.

"Come on, pleeeeease?" I pleaded.

"No. It's not like it was about you," He said, and his face reddened. "Oops."

"Hah! Now I know it was about me! Than I really do deserve to hear." I smiled, knowing I would get my way now.

"Fine. She told me that she has somewhere she wants to take me, but you're not allowed to come. Man, she does not like you!" He said, laughing. "Anyways, I don't know the details. But we just got into a fight, it's not a big deal." He whitened. "But you heard that, didn't you," I sheepishly smiled.

"Maybe…." He shook his head.

"Whatever we had together, it's gone. I used to feel a spark, but now, it's only with…" He looked at the floor, embarassed.

"Me!" I shouted, twirling and laughing. He ran to catch up with me. We were heading out into the open fields to catch horses. We came out into a large clearing, and I spotted some horses and deer grazing out in the open meadow. "I know which one I want!" I whispered to him.

"Me too." He said quietly, face shining with happiness. I crept over to the herd of deer instead of the horses, and with one swift motion, I launched myself onto the back of a large buck. It tried to kick me off, but I stroked it's neck until it calmed down.

"It's okay, buddy. You're gonna like my friend, Raven." I smiled and rode him over to Link. He smiled at my unique choice. He had mounted a strong brown mare with a cream-colored mane. He looked so happy, and it made me want to cry.

"This is why I wanted to go to this field, Chiya!" He looked back down at the horse. "Just so I could be reunited with you," He stroked her neck. I was confused, but didn't say anything. I urged my buck to go faster so we could get back to the stable before lunch.

* * *

"What is the meaning of this? You expect to ruin my fine reputation with this… disgusting… I don't even have a word to describe it." The stable manager huffed. I looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Please sir? I'll pay extra for a custom saddle!" I cried. Link emerged from behind me.

"Excuse me-" Link started to speak but the manager cut him off.

"It's the hero of Hyrule! He's come to our meager stable!" He cried, and everyone inside rushed outside to meet Link.

"Sir, what I was trying to say was-"

"Can I thank you for saving us again? Thank you so much, I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this is!" Link cleared his throat and the manager looked bashful. "I'm sorry sir, go on please."

"Thank you. Would you please give my girlfriend," He turned and winked at me, which caused tingles to surge down my arms. "A custom saddle?" The manager nodded and rushed inside to see what he could find.

"Girlfriend?" I said, shaking my head. His face fell.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"You know, for the hero of Hyrule, you sure are dumb." I smiled and he did too, looking relieved. The manager rushed back out.

"Miss, here you go." He passed me a blue and silver saddle with gold lining. I gasped.

"Thank you so much!" I hopped off the buck and gently tied it around him, fastening the silver buckles.

"Would you like to take him out for a ride or leave him here with us? Also, what would you like to name him?" I thought for a moment.

"I'll keep him here, please. And I'll name him…" I looked at Link's eyes, noticing the bright blue, yet again. "Sky." The manager turned to Link.

"And for you, sir?"

"Could I please get a saddle? Nothing special, please. Just the regular."

"O-Okay…" He shook and walked back in. We heard lots of clanging and banging inside, and Link looked at me and sighed. That made me giggle. The manager returned with a shiny golden saddle.

"Um-" I gestured putting my hand to my throat in a slicing motion and then pointed at him. "Thank you so much. This saddle is very regular. Thanks again!" Link fastened the saddle on his own horse, and it glinted in the afternoon sun.

"And the name, sir?" Link smiled to himself.

"Epona."


	15. Chapter 15

Zelda knew that Link didn't love her anymore. I found this out when I overheard them talking again in Hateno village.

"What do you mean, you told her?" Zelda cried angrily.

"I told her because…" He sucked in a breath. "I love her. And if you can't deal with that, then we can't be friends."

"It's okay, you can have other girls that you think are pretty, but," She dried her eyes on a small white handkercheif. "We are meant to be together, you and me."

"Were," Link corrected. "Zelda, we've been friends for so long. I don't want it to end. Can you please just get over this? Please?" He cried, running his hands through his blonde hair. She sniffed.

"Yes. But please, don't push me away again." Zelda opened the door to leave and Link stepped outside. He caught me standing there and sighed. My face turned bright red, and I'm sure I had a strange expression on my face. He looked happy to be over this, but sad to make Zelda unhappy.

"Wow, Chiya. Remember to remind me of how good at eavesdropping you are." He smiled and walked over to me. "I have a surprise for you."

"What?" He inhaled next to my hair and it sent shivers down my spine. My heart lept a beat.

"I can't tell you or it wouldn't be a surprise. Meet me at dawn,"

"Where?" I asked.

"You'll know." He said, mysteriously. I shrugged and he walked away.

* * *

Dawn didn't come soon enough. I lay in bed for most of the night, not sleeping but thinking. I was startled by a loud knock at about midnight. I opened the door to see Urbosa, Mipha, and Prince Sidon all standing outside.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered. My breath billowed up in the cold night air.

"Let us in!" Sidon said and pushed past me inside. Mipha and Urbosa followed, Urbosa winking at me. I blushed and fumbled with the door handle, gently shutting it behind them.

"Link told you about his surprise, right?" Mipha said while she searched through my bags.

"Um, yes, what are you doing?" I asked, getting freaked out.

"Do you have any makeup, girl?" Urbosa said, jokingly. "If not, I can run over to my place and grab some," I shook my head and she bolted out the door to her room.

"Why do I need makeup?" I said.

"Because," Mipha shook her head. "Links surprise is… Special." My heart jumped. She pulled my Gerudo outfit from my bag. "This could work… It just needs some add ons…" She murmured to herself. I turned to Sidon.

"Why are you here?"

"Moral support." He shrugged. "Mipha wanted me to come, I don't know why." He smirked as Urbosa rushed in and Mipha pulled out a needle and thread.

"Looks like I'm going to be here for a while," I said, groaning.

* * *

By the end of the torture, I looked beautiful. Mipha had woven silver beads onto the hem of my top and pants, and the same type of beads was threaded into my braid. My ornate headdress/crown was sitting atop it as well. Urbosa had done my makeup perfectly, and even Sidon gasped at my appearance. It was almost dawn.

"I had better get going." I stopped. "Thank you all so much! Also, could you tell me where to meet him?" Urbosa shook her head.

"Honestly, honey. Think! Where was the most romantic place you've been so far?" I immediately knew.

"Thanks!" I said and bolted out the door.


	16. Chapter 16

I met Link near the fish statue where we had kissed. He was leaning casually against the wall.

"I knew you'd find it!" He shouted happily. "Let's get going." He took my hand, but then gasped as he looked at me. I blushed. "You look… beautiful." He said, awestruck.

"Thank you," I said. He looked casual, and I felt embarrassed at how fancy I was. But, of course, he looked handsome with his blonde tousled hair and light blue tunic. I took his hand and he teleported us away.

* * *

We landed somewhere on a warm canyon face. I was immediately frightened, as one of my greatest weaknesses is my fear of heights. Link pulled me closer to the edge and I grabbed onto him.

"Chiya, It's okay. I've got you, I won't let you fall." He said, steadying me with his arm as he led me closer to the edge.

"Why did you take me here?" I asked, very confused,

"I wanted to show you something." Suddenly something bright crimson flashed out of the corner of my eye. I couldn't believe it, but there was a large dragon head floating up out of the canyon. I gasped.

"Link! What is that?" He smiled, glad I was impressed.

"It's a dragon, you know that. It's Dinraal, the fire dragon. He only comes out at dawn, before all the travelers come this way looking for Rito village." His eyes glistened.

"It's beautiful," I said, awestruck as the body emerged. The long white body arose with bright red and orange tendrils of fire leaping from it. Link suddenly placed his hand on my shoulder, startling me. Before I knew what he was doing, he knelt down. He held out a tiny silver box. My heart stopped. Was this really happening? I cried,

"No!" His smile was as wide as ever, and I think I started crying.

"Chiya," His voice hitched and he couldn't finish his sentence. "Will you…" He paused as Dinraal soared overhead. The warm breeze tickled my bare calves and I whispered,

"Say it,"

"Chiya, will you marry me?" I couldn't breathe. Every single emotion came flooding into me, Sadness for almost losing him, happiness for the life we had ahead of us if I said yes, Anger for not letting myself open up earlier, and everything else. I choked out,

"Yes," I cried, and he jumped up, passing me the box. I took it and opened it up to reveal a small silver ring. It had two gems in the center, one purple and one blue.

"Chiya, the purple is your birthstone, and the blue is mine." I hugged him while he slipped the ring onto my finger.

"This is the best surprise ever. Thank you, Link." I whispered into his ear. Suddenly he pushed me back. I got worried. _Did I do something wrong?_ I thought. But he pushed me away just so he could pull me back to him, this time for a kiss. I knew that this was how the world should be, happily ever after. Nothing to worry about or be upset about, just you and the person you care about most. Link was the best man I could have hoped for, and I was so glad that this was how I was going to spend the rest of my life. With him. Happy at last.

**A/N: Hi guys! I hope you all enjoyed this story! I might write another one, so keep your eyes peeled. Make sure to recommend this story to your friends who are fellow Legend of Zelda nerds if you enjoyed it! Also please leave a review of suggestions for my next story if you would like to! Thanks for reading!**

**~Saffron465**


	17. Rewrite!

**A/N: Hi everybody, this is Saffron! I just wanted to tell you guys that I'm writing a new story that is loosely based off of this one. I wrote this story when I was younger, and less experienced with writing, so I recently decided to try it again now that I have more experience. I hope you'll go check it out, especially if you enjoyed this story. Thanks!**


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